When it comes to the Christmas holidays, many immediately imagine Scandinavia, Christmas markets, fluffy snow, and, of course, a lot of fun.
But in fact, on Christmas Eve, it is customary for Norwegians to be at home, cook traditional Christmas food for dinner, and spend the evening with their families. So shops, Christmas markets, and many restaurants are closed for Christmas!
But still, is it worth visiting Norway and Oslo during the Christmas holidays? Let’s figure out what to see and where to go if you are in Oslo for Christmas 2024.
Top 10 Places And Activities That Are Open During The Christmas
Unfortunately, you have to consider that a lot of activities and attractions have shorter opening hours or are simply closed.
Here are our top places and things you can do in Oslo on Christmas in 2024!
1. Visit the Christmas market – Jul i Vinterland
Christmas market in Oslo – Jul i Vinterland
In the heart of Oslo, from 12.11 to 01.01, the Christmas Market opens. Where you can taste traditional Norwegian products, buy souvenirs from artisans, and feel the spirit of Scandinavian Christmas.
But carefully follow the opening hours on Christmas Eve, even though this market is closed on December 24th.
Jul i Vinterland Opening Hours on Christmas:
23rd December
12:00–18:00
Lille Julaften
24th December
Closed
Juleaften (Christmas Eve)
25th December
12:00–21:00
Første Juledag (Christmas Day)
26th December
10:00–20:00
Andre Juledag (Second Day of Christmas)
27th December
12:00–20:00
Opening Hours of the Christmas Market on Christmas
2. Climb the walls of the fortress – Akershus Festning.
You can stroll through one of the city’s most popular attractions, the ancient Akershus Fortress. From its walls, a beautiful view of the city and Oslo Bay opens.
It is open all Christmas days from 06:00 to 21:00.
3. Visit Ekebergparken Sculpture Park
On a hill in the southeastern part of Oslo is the Ekeberg Sculpture Park. This is a well-maintained Norwegian forest, with interesting sculptures, signposts, and lighting at night.
Gradually walking through the park, you can climb the observation deck Ekebergutsikten from where a wonderful view of Oslo opens.
By the way, it was from this site that a beautiful view opened up to visitors, which became the background of Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream”.
The park is open all Christmas days around the clock.
4. Visit the new MUNCH museum
The museum is dedicated to the work of Edvard Munch, a native of Norway, who became famous as an artist and graphic artist. The new Edvard Munch Museum opened on October 22, 2021.
The building is an example of modern architecture with slanted lines and glass panels, its height is 13 floors. On the upper floors of the building, there is a panoramic restaurant with access to the terrace and bar.
The museum at Christmas has limited opening hours on December 24 from 10 am to 2 pm and on December 25 and 26 from 10 am to 6 pm.
23rd December
10:00–21:00
Lille Julaften
24th December
10:00–14:00
Juleaften (Christmas Eve)
25th December
10:00–18:00
Første Juledag (Christmas Day)
26th December
10:00–18:00
Andre Juledag (Second Day of Christmas)
27th December
10:00–18:00
Opening Hours of the MUNCH museum on Christmas
Ticket price Adults: 160 kr Until 25 y.o.: 100 kr Children 0-15 y.o.: Free
5. Touch the History Of Norwegian Polar Expeditions At The Fram Museum
In the Fram Museum, you can see the most famous Norwegian research vessel of all time, the icebreaker Fram. After all, it was on it that three amazing voyages were made – two to the poles of the Earth and one through two oceans.
The ship gained worldwide fame when the expedition of the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen went to Antarctica. Amundsen is the pride of the Norwegians and the first person to reach both the North and South Poles.
The museum is open all Christmas days from 10 am to 5 pm.
23rd December
10:00–17:00
Lille Julaften
24th December
10:00–17:00
Juleaften (Christmas Eve)
25th December
10:00–17:00
Første Juledag (Christmas Day)
26th December
10:00–17:00
Andre Juledag (Second Day of Christmas)
27th December
10:00–17:00
Opening Hours of The Fram Museum on Christmas
Ticket price Adults: 140 kr Children and Students: 50 kr Seniors: 100 kr
One of the main winter activities for Norwegians is skiing. In Oslo’s Holmenkollen area you can see the world’s first ski jump. But despite this proud title, the springboard is operational and is constantly being improved, so that it is simultaneously considered not only the oldest but also one of the most technically advanced ski jumps in the world.
Also, the Holmenkollen ski jump tower has repeatedly won architectural awards and the Norwegians affectionately call it the “White Swan” for its aesthetic merits.
By the way, there is no better opportunity to see Oslo in its entirety, because this is its highest point, and the views from it are grandiose.
Unfortunately, the Holmenkollen Ski Museum is closed due to a renovation until the end of 2023.
On all public holidays, the ski jump tower and the ski simulator are open from 10 am to 4 pm, and on Christmas Eve 24 December from 10 am to 2 pm.
23rd December
10:00–16:00
Lille Julaften
24th December
10:00–14:00
Juleaften (Christmas Eve)
25th December
10:00–16:00
Første Juledag (Christmas Day)
26th December
10:00–16:00
Andre Juledag (Second Day of Christmas)
27th December
10:00–16:00
Opening Hours of Holmenkollen Ski Jump Tower on Christmas
The Kon-Tiki Museum is entirely dedicated to the expeditions of the Norwegian traveler Thor Heyerdahl. Also here you can see the raft on which he sailed from South America to the Tuamotu Islands.
The exposition of the museum presents the ships and objects used during all the expeditions. It will be interesting here for both children and adults because the atmosphere of the museum immerses you in the history of travel and adventure as much as possible.
On holidays, December 24 and 25, the museum is open from 10 am to 4 pm.
8. Go Skiing Or Snowboarding On The Indoor Slope SNØ
Regardless of the snow outside, you can ski on one of the world’s largest indoor ski slopes, SNØ. Inside, both in winter and summer, the temperature is maintained from -2 to -4 degrees.
There are trails for any level and even a park with jumps. You can also rent everything you need for skiing here, prices and a map of the slopes can be found on the SNØ website.
On holidays 23.12 SNØ is open from 10 am to 9 pm.
23rd December
10:00–21:00
Lille Julaften
24th December
10:00–14:00
Juleaften (Christmas Eve)
25th December
10:00–14:00
Første Juledag (Christmas Day)
26th December
10:00–18:00
Andre Juledag (Second Day of Christmas)
27th December
10:00–18:00
Opening Hours of The SNØ indoor snow park during Christmas
Vigeland Park is part of the central Frogner Royal Park. More than 200 sculptures made of various materials have been collected on its territory. Each of the sculptures carries certain emotions.
This is a whole open-air museum and the uniqueness of the park is that it was created entirely by one person. The great sculptor Gustav Vigeland thought of everything down to the smallest detail, even the magnificent carved gate – the main entrance to the park.
Entrance to the park is free and it is open around the clock on all public holidays.
10. Walk On The Roof Of The Oslo Opera House
The building of the Norwegian Opera was opened in 2008, and today it is considered one of the most popular attractions in Oslo. The base of the building is comparable in size to a football field; its area is 38,000 square meters.
The building was designed by the popular architectural firm Snøhetta. It immediately fell in love with both the townspeople and tourists, as you can walk on its roof and admire the views of the Oslo Fjord, the Munch Museum, and the Business District of Oslo.
And we can confidently say that you have not been to Oslo if you have not walked on the roof of the Opera!
Restaurants In Oslo That Keep Working on Christmas
Almost all restaurants are completely closed on Christmas Day, and the few that are open will be fully booked, so plan your visit in advance and reserve a table.
Here we will give you a list of open restaurants in Oslo during Christmas in 2022. However, we still recommend calling ahead to check.
On December 24, many shops close earlier, and the latest time a shop can be open on Christmas Eve is at 16:00. Keep this in mind and shop early.
And on 25th and 26th December, shops are completely closed on public holidays.
Norwegian Traditional Christmas Food
Norway is famous for its interesting traditional Christmas food. And if you are here on Christmas Eve, then you must try these local and very unusual dishes, without which it is simply impossible to feel the spirit of Norwegian Christmas.
In this video, we prepare and talk in detail about the most popular of them, which will help you better navigate the menu in restaurants.
To get inspired before your trip and be impressed by the winter views of the city of Oslo, we recommend watching this video – a walk around the city.
